Financial matters addressed at May meeting

The Morris City Council convened Monday to address several financial matters and reflect on the community’s resilience during recent challenges.

The council voted to move funds from an existing account to an IntraFi account through Mabrey Bank. Mayor Joe Berryhill said this move would allow the account funds to earn daily interest (rate fluctuates). City Clerk Kim Johnson added that it could offer some fraud protection by keeping those funds in separate accounts. This item was also approved by Morris Public Works.

Additionally, the council approved a motion to transfer $50,000 from the general fund to a Certificate of Deposit (CD) at Memory Bank, which was also approved by Morris Public Works.

For clarity, this creates a sep- arate IntraFi account for both the city council and public works.

In a related decision, the council agreed to combine five existing CDs from the cemetery account into a single CD. These accounts, some dating back to the 1980s, were difficult to track, and combining them will better organize the city’s financial management.

In another move, the council approved a dedicated credit card for emergency fuel purchases to address issues some police officers face when encountering unexpected fuel and transport expenses and subsequent reimbursement. Officers must follow proper checkout policy to use the card, and the balance will be paid back monthly.

Additional items approved include the minutes from meetings held on April 8 and 22 and May 1, the payment of claims, and updates to Ordinance #334-24 (Statutes 13-101, 5-101, 5-201, 5-301, 5-601, 5-701, and 5-801 of the Morris Municipal codes).

The council also heard the April reports from city officials. Police Chief Tim Bell reported 15 citations. Fire Chief Tim Stewart reported one lift assist, one EMS assist, one first response, and one miscellaneous incident on the city side; one MVA, one grass fire, three lift assists, and one miscellaneous on the rural side. Ethan Christiansen of Morris Public Works reported one opening and closing at the cemetery and no leaks.

Mayor Berryhill, Councilwoman Jennifer Simmons, and other council members took a moment to commend the collective effort of city departments and the community during recent events.

“You’re only as strong as the people around you,” said Mayor Berryhill. He mentioned feeling emotional seeing how residents put their differences aside to help their neighbors rebuild. “That’s the reason I moved here in ’92 and I haven’t left.”